


me and my husband

by milfbyers



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/F, I'm Sorry, this is so self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:47:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26956069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milfbyers/pseuds/milfbyers
Summary: joyce pays diane a visit after her separation from hopper
Relationships: Joyce Byers/Diane Hopper
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	me and my husband

joyce chewed at the skin on her bottom lip. her fist curled at her side as she prepared to knock on hopper’s- no, now it’s just diane- diane’s door. what was she doing here, really? being a good friend by picking up hopper’s forgotten things? being a supportive friend? or was she a sucker for wives in marriages that weren’t officially in shambles but the absence of rings of left hands said otherwise? she guessed they reminded her of herself, reminded her of her type. 

there was no bustle of traffic in the hallway of the apartment building. the only noise was the touch of her knuckles against the wood. she was a little ahead of schedule but joyce was eager, shaking slightly with the anticipation of seeing the woman she had only met once, when she was all dolled up in white and had honeymoon phase eyes.’congratulations’ fell easily off her tongue when she first spoke diane. joyce was able to follow a script. 

but now that joyce knew she’d be met with a replacement of red rimmed sorrow and a box full of hopper’s clothes, his notebooks with scribbled half sentences about cases, sarah’s things… she didn’t know what she was going to say. 

no ‘i’m sorry for your loss’ or ‘i’m here if you need anything’ would console the woman on the other side of the locked door. joyce knew that if she lost will or jonathan… well, she didn’t need to think about that, not now. not ever if she could help it. the thought made her shake a little more. she pulled at the skin on the fourth finger of her left hand where her wedding ring used to sit. 

when the door opened, joyce sucked in a sharp breath. diane was more put together than joyce imagined, but maybe joyce was just imagining how she would look in a situation as upsetting as this one. joyce had pictured diane with mascara under her eyes, hair greasy from the neglect of not showering, bags under her eyes because she hadn’t slept in weeks. but diane stood in the doorway with soft eyes and a pretty smile. joyce could see how tired she was, how badly she was faking the look of ‘okay’ but her own grin told diane she didn’t recognize the signs of her struggling. 

‘hi, joyce, right? joyce byers?’ joyce felt her own smile falter at the sound of her last name but she kept up the light in her eyes anyways. ‘hi, diane… i hope hop- jim told you-’ diane cut her off by opening the door a little wider, an invitation inside, ‘don’t worry, he did. you can come on in.’ joyce pulled at the string of her sweater as she followed diane inside. the apartment was almost empty, boxes stacked along the walls labeled with locations of where they’ll fit in their new homes. 

diane led her to the living room where only a couch sat in the large space. ‘sorry about the mess, i’ve been packing as you can tell. i’ll be moving into some place… smaller’ diane’s voice cracked and joyce’s fingers twitched at the want to touch her arm as an act of comfort but she just pulled more at the string. ‘oh, it’s alright, my place is just as messy… two boys can do that-’ joyce stopped, regret immediately clouded the features of her face. diane took notice and offered a soft smile.

‘it’s okay, joyce, really.’ joyce nodded in defeat, she couldn’t argue or offer comfort. she didn’t know this woman. not like she knew hopper or karen or even lonnie. she didn’t know how to soothe the ache in diane’s heart or how to wipe the tears that ran down her cheeks. instead, joyce cleared her throat and wrapped her arms across her chest. ‘i can just grab jim’s things- i don’t want to intrude.’

diane turned and made eye contact with joyce. behind the sorrow, the regret, the guilt, joyce found something else. something too familiar to the look in her own eyes she memorized in the mornings in front of the mirror. joyce’s features softened at the silent confession, the unspoken ‘i know, it’s okay, me too.’ 

instead of letting joyce obsess over the silence, diane offered something else. ‘actually, joyce, would you like to stay for dinner?’ joyce responded with a raised eyebrow that was quickly hidden behind her bangs that she was trying to grow out. ‘are you sure? i don’t want to impose- you-’ but she stopped when diane reached out to grab her wrist. the act was tender and joyce found herself melting a little too quickly into the blonde’s touch. diane’s thumb was moving across the exposed skin from the raised sleeve of joyce’s sweater. her voice was barely above a whisper when she offered a ‘please?’

the corners of joyce’s mouth pulled into a soft smile. before she could stop herself, a warm flush spread across her cheeks and her neck. ‘i would love to. i just need to call jim and let him know he’ll have to make the boys dinner tonight.’ diane laughed and shook her head, ‘jim making dinner… what a sight. i hope he doesn’t burn down your kitchen.’

her hand was still around joyce’s wrist. the touch was welcomed and joyce moved to take diane’s hand fully. when her fingers were tangled with joyce’s, joyce squeezed it gently. ‘i’ll be right back.’ the words felt heavier than she meant, she felt as if she were making a promise. one to always return.

‘i’ll be waiting right here,’ diane’s smile was comforting and her eyes were something joyce could get lost in, wanted to get lost in. she turned on her heels to go make the phone call before she did something foolish, like pressing diane against the wall right behind her and kissing her.

joyce was sure she’d seize the opportunity after dinner anyways.

**Author's Note:**

> i have no explanation for this. clearly, i'm the sucker for wives with marriages in shambles.
> 
> if you're curious as to where else i post my brain rot, milfbyers on twitter is my favorite place to do so.


End file.
